James Gray

The Profile

James Gray is an American film director and screenwriter known for rigorous, classical storytelling and morally complex dramas, from Little Odessa and The Yards to The Immigrant, The Lost City of Z and Ad Astra.

Born 1969 in New York City; frequent collaborator with Joaquin Phoenix; Little Odessa won the Silver Lion (Special Jury Prize) at the Venice Film Festival; directed Armageddon Time in 2022.

DeBaser’s reviews see James Gray as a classicist voice: from the New York noir of Little Odessa and The Yards to the intimate Two Lovers and the period sweep of The Immigrant. The Lost City of Z earns high praise for its timeless, unspectacular grandeur, while Ad Astra splits opinions with sharp criticism. Recurring themes include family bonds, moral choices, and obsessive quests, often in richly rendered historical settings.